About the Islanders: The tie to close out the Central Arkansas series — a game in which A&M-CC lost a 7-0 lead — helped the Islanders in regards to some teams in the Southland Conference standings. But it did not help with the team they are pursuing for the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament — Nicholls.

A&M-CC needs to make up two games in the standings with six left. So the Islanders aren’t in must-win territory, but they can ill afford to lose two of three either. A Northwestern State sweep and one Nicholls win against Texas State would effectively end A&M-CC’s postseason hopes. If the Islanders were swept and Nicholls won two games, A&M-CC would be officially eliminated from postseason contention.

With the Islanders, the conversation begins with pitching. It’s just not the constant struggle to find two weekend starters to bookend with Jake Liedka (3-2, 6.03 ERA), but it’s also a bullpen that has blown hold opportunities, save chances and failed to keep games close for an offense that has averaged a little more than six runs a game.

About the Demons: NSU is part of the pack that is trying to stay in the upper tier of the league. The Demons have been slumping a bit of late, winning only four of the past 13. While some of those defeats are excusable — Mississippi State, LSU (twice) and Southland-leading Texas State (twice), others are not. NSU dropped two of three to Lamar and also lost a mid-week contest against Centenary during the recent slide.